


I'm Here For You

by Fighting_for_Creativity, honestmischief, Purple_ducky00



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, But Rhodey won't let him, Child Neglect, Fireworks, First Kiss, Howard Stark tries to ruin the day, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, MIT Era, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Gets a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:13:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29063391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fighting_for_Creativity/pseuds/Fighting_for_Creativity, https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestmischief/pseuds/honestmischief, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purple_ducky00/pseuds/Purple_ducky00
Summary: Rhodey knew that not all was good and dandy in the Stark household.Hell Rhodey saw the evident in the fall of Tony’s face after a call one too many times, in the way Tony sometimes wouldn’t sleep until something for SI was finished.But what happened on Tony’s sixteenth birthday took the icing of the cake.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark
Comments: 1
Kudos: 64
Collections: Ironhusbands Bingo 2020, Tony Stark Bingo Mark IV





	I'm Here For You

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that we decided their age difference here is only 2 years and thus it isn't considered underage kissing where one of the authors are from.
> 
> Also, Howard Stark is (once again) a massive dick. If child abuse in any way form or shape triggers you please take care and do not read this. 
> 
> This contains verbal abuse and Rhodey is worried about it also being physical abuse.
> 
> We end this story on a rather fluffy note though.
> 
> We hope you enjoy~

Everyone believed Howard Stark to be a respectable man. A man of honor, they said. A man, who without a doubt, had risked life and more to serve his country and protect the little people. A genius unparalleled. A paragon for greatness, if not virtue. Especially since his marriage to the gentle Maria Stark. Everyone and their mothers knew those things of Howard Stark.

But most people didn’t see what happened behind closed doors. Not that James ever saw it either. He only ever saw and dealt with the results. 

The young aspiring military man could never fathom himself in a position as he found himself in, on his roommates 16th birthday.

James had known Tony for a couple of months by that point, had seen the dark circles under his eyes and had heard the genius mumbling incoherent sentences about ‘need to finish missile for dad’ and ‘can’t disappoint. Have done too often…’

At first James had thought to mishear. Because, a man who had been friends with Captain America couldn’t be that bad of a father, only giving his son conditional love, right? Over the months though, James found that  _ that _ was the lesser problem of the relationship between Tony and Howard Stark.

The more time passed the more James saw and heard things he rather had not. Only once every while did the young brunet get a call from home, and nearly always it was his butler of all people talking with Tony. The day Tony should have been packing for Christmas break, James, or as he was called by the younger student, ‘Rhodey’ saw Tony hanging up the phone and angrily stomping towards his luggage before upturning it and throwing his clothes through the room. 

Rhodey had stood in the door, watching and not knowing how to help the young teen. In the end, he had walked behind Tony, grabbed a shirt from the floor and said, “I would rather not stay in a pigsty. C'mon man, clean this up and then we go shopping for our christmas meal.”

Rhodey would never forget the look Tony gave him when Rhodey’s words sunk in. Round big doe eyes, full of wonderment and tentative hope. Tony had, with a crook in his voice both choose to ignore, replied, “You’re sure?”

How could Rhodey have done anything but stay after that question? When he later called his momma and explained the situation, she even told him: “Don’tcha dare leave that boy alone! We’ll see if we can get upstate for new years eve” And that was how Tony met the Rhodes family. 

Rhodey looked back at that with fondness and a spark of anger. That spark was currently developing into a full blown fire, raging inside him so bad that he wondered when or if it could ever cool again. As Tony’s birthday was in the middle of the week, the smaller brunet had told Rhodey that there weren’t any expectations for him.

He wasn’t even waiting for a call from his father, and as he already got one from his godmother and Jarvis, Tony didn’t even stay inside their shared dorm. Rhodey had cleared his schedule as much as he could and had even talked one of his professors into letting them use the laboratory, despite the ‘incident’ no one was allowed to mention.

Tony was in the middle of explaining his idea about the rudimentary self-sufficient artificial intelligence he wanted to install in that big lump of metal he called a robot, when the doors to the lab banged open. Both students jumped at the sudden sound, and snapped their heads towards the newcomer.

There, in all his glory, stood a man with graying dark hair, stern murky green nearly brown eyes, straight back and a suit which must cost more than Rhodey’s dad made in a month. The black man didn’t have to look at his friend to know who this man was, also to know how unwelcomed that person was.

Without a pause the newcomer strode into the laboratory, dignified Rhodey with the look he’d seen way too often before and then ignored him. Rhodey balled his hands into fists, grinding his teeth at the clear dismissal and lack of respect. The look had said it all. If it was up to this man, Rhodey would never even so much as breathe the same air as Tony. 

Suddenly something else clicked into place and Rhodey stared at his friend in disbelief. ‘ _ This couldn’t be, right? Tony does whatever he can to stay on the good side of his father. He wouldn’t… would he? _ ’

Rhodey’s thoughts were interrupted by a simple, stern, “Anthony.”

“What are you doing here?” Tony sounded defensive. The birthday boy had squared his shoulders and gotten up from his seat. He seemed to be a mirroring the older Stark. But there was more to it. The way Tony stood, the way he angled himself away from Howard and yet right in front of Rhodey. The words he had spoken. Rhodey was sure that something else was there, something akin to… akin to fear?

  
  


“Anthony. I do not want to have to say your name again.” Howard began. “Look at me, and only answer a question that I ask you so that this ordeal can be over. Do I make myself clear?”

  
  


Tony opened his mouth to say something angry, thought better of it, and meekly replied. “Yes Sir.”

  
  


“Good. Now. Obadiah said you would be done the specs for me by this weekend?”

  
  


“Yes Sir. I am 75% done.” Tony hung his head. It hurt Rhodey to see Tony acting so un-Tonylike. What does Howard do to him behind closed doors?

  
  


Slamming his fist on the lab table, Howard yelled. “Not good enough! I need those specs by today. Today! In fact, let me see them. I want to see if this idea of yours is even worth marketing. Where are they?”

  
  


“They’re in the dorm…” Tony mumbled. 

  
  


Howard hit the wall with a bang, and he paced in a circle with a hand on his forehead. “Well, for the love of all things damn holy, take me to them! And you,” The elder Stark pointed at Rhodey, ‘better not follow if you know what’s good for you. These are SI secrets, and you wouldn’t want to get sued, would you?”

  
  


Rhodey shook his head. Stark smiled a shark’s smile. “Good. Anthony, let’s go.” 

  
  


If it weren’t for the sad, apologetic look Tony sent him as the father and son walked out, Rhodey would have left it alone. He would have just figured Stark was an ill-tempered father who demanded high respect. But something about Stark just kickstarted his protective instinct. 

  
  


Putting away all the lab gear, Rhodey raced back to his and Tony’s dorm. He slowed as he reached the door, hearing shouting inside. 

"You call this 75% done? This is worthless! Why are you hanging out with some no name no account who will never go anywhere in his life when you should be working on this?"

"It… it's my birthday…" Came Tony's quiet reply. 

  
  


Stark sneered. "Yes. A reason to celebrate another year in your worthle…  _ what the hell! _ " He yelled as Rhodey burst in. 

"Don't touch him!" Rhodey yelled. 

Howard sneered. "What, you think I will hit him? I'm his father and a public figure. Clearly you've never worked in PR. Now, didn’t I say something about staying away?"

  
  


"Rhodey. It's ok… I'm ok… you can go and hang out with your friends…" Tony whispered quietly. "I have to finish this. I won't be any fun for the rest of the night."

  
  


Rhodey couldn't stand it. Tony looked so defeated. "But Tony…"

  
  


"Didn't you hear him, boy? He said go. You better go before I remove you from my son's life. I trust you're smarter than that?" The elder Stark pointed at the door. 

  
  


"You can't ask me to leave my own dorm!" Rhodey stood his ground and crossed his arms. 

  
  


Howard smirked. "Then we'll leave. Tony grab your stuff and let's go." He waited, tapping his foot incessantly until Tony gathered all his necessary equipment. Rhodey could only helplessly watch them go. 

Rhodey wished that he could do something. Instead, he just sat on his bed waiting for his roommate to come back home. Their dorm always felt lonely when Tony wasn’t there. Rhodey had no idea what to do without his roommate by his side. It was crazy how dependent Rhodey became on Tony since they had started attending university. 

As Rhodey waited, he tried to figure out what he was going to say to Tony once he returned. There was no way that Rhodey could be enough to help him heal from the horrible things Howard had done to him all throughout his life. Rhodey couldn’t do anything to fix all of the horrible things Tony had gone through with his family, but he could be there for him no matter what. Maybe that would be enough. 

An hour later, Tony finally returned. Rhodey instantly jumped out of his bed and encased Tony in a hug, and the younger man leaned into his embrace.

“Are you okay?” Rhodey whispered in Tony’s ear. It was a stupid question. Rhodey already knew the answer. 

“Just glad I’m back,” Tony mumbled into his shoulder. 

“Me too,” Rhodey agreed as they pulled apart. Rhodey already missed the feeling of Tony in his arms. “There’s still a few hours left of your birthday. Anything you’d like to do?” 

Tony shrugged with his eyes glued to the ground. Rhodey’s heart ached for him.

“I think I saw a flyer that said there are going to be fireworks by the harbor, if you wanted to check them out?” Rhodey suggested. 

Tony grinned so subtly that Rhodey almost missed it. “Sure.” 

The two roommates left their dorm and took the T to the harbor area of Boston. It was nice to leave Cambridge and the stress of MIT for a little while, and Rhodey was sure that Tony felt the same way. When they arrived, they found an area where they were able to stand by themselves and watch the fireworks. 

“I’m always here for you. You know that, right?” Rhodey asked. 

  
  


The fireworks were a beautiful mixture of red, gold, and blue. They covered the sky in bright colors, but somehow Rhodey’s eyes were more drawn to Tony. 

“I know. I’m sorry Howard crashed our day.”

Rhodey looked into Tony’s brown eyes, letting him know that he was seen by someone who cares about him. “You have no need to apologize, Tones.”

“Today was supposed to be a fun day for us to spend together,” Tony said with a hint of sadness in his voice. 

“It still can be. Look at the fireworks! They’re great. Can you believe the city of Boston put on a fireworks show just for your birthday?”

Tony chuckled. “I’m pretty sure it’s Memorial Day weekend, Rhodey.”

“Just pretend, Tony,” Rhodey said with a laugh flowing through his words. 

“Thank you,” Tony said softly. “For everything.” 

“I’d do anything for you.” 

Tony grinned. “Anything?” 

Rhodey nodded. He meant what he said. 

“So you’d kiss me?” 

Rhodey froze. He had wanted to kiss Tony for some time, but he had no idea that Tony felt the same way about him. 

Instead of replying with words, Rhodey pressed a kiss to Tony’s lips. Rhodey felt himself smiling into the kiss as they continued. It was Tony’s birthday, but Rhodey felt like he got the best present ever. 

“This birthday got so much better,” Tony said excitedly. 

Rhodey knew that he couldn’t fix everything between Tony and his father, but he could be there for him no matter what. Maybe that would be enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Title:I'm Here For You  
> Creators J_Gun_l, honestmischief, Ducky  
> Rating: Mature  
> Warnings: Howard Stark’s A+ Parenting, Child Abuse  
> Pair: Ironhusbands  
> Squares Filled: I1 Howard Stark- J_Gun_l,B2 “Don’t Touch Him” - Ducky, - Honestmischief- N2 Fireworks  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29063391  
> Summary: Rhodey knew that not all was good and dandy in the Stark household. Hell Rhodey saw the evident in the fall of Tony’s face after a call one too many times, in the way Tony sometimes wouldn’t sleep until something for SI was finished. But what happened on Tony’s sixteenth birthday took the icing of the cake.  
> Word Count: 1963
> 
> TSB:  
> Title: I'm Here For You  
> Collaborator: J_Gun_i, purple_Ducky00, Honestmischief  
> Card Number: 4004 (the others don't claim a fill)  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29063391  
> Sqaure filled: A1 James Rhodey Rhodes/War Machine  
> Rating: Mature  
> Pairing(s): Ironhusbands  
> Warnings: Child Abuse, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, child neglect, verbal abuse  
> Summary: Rhodey knew that not all was good and dandy in the Stark household. Hell Rhodey saw the evident in the fall of Tony’s face after a call one too many times, in the way Tony sometimes wouldn’t sleep until something for SI was finished. But what happened on Tony’s sixteenth birthday took the icing of the cake.  
> Word count: 1963


End file.
